VHOB 1523 Madison Supplemental Report

7/27/2019 VHOB 1523 Madison Supplemental Report

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1523 Madison Street, Seattle, WASeptember, 2013

Supplemental Report or Victorian House Ofce Building

Prepared by:

Te Johnson Partnership

1212 NE 65th Street

Seattle, WA 98115-6724

206-523-1618, www.tjp.us


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Supplemental Report for Victorian House Office Building, 1523 Madison StreetThe Johnson Partnership

September, 2013Page 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................22. CHRONOLOGICAL PROPERTYHISTORY..................................................................................23. BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION OF PROPERTYOWNERSWITHIN THE PERIOD OF HISTORIC

SIGNIFICANCE .........................................................................................................................33.1 Captain William Renton............................................................................................. 33.2 Abbie M. Smith .......................................................................................................... 43.3 Mary L. Macdonald .................................................................................................... 63.4 Herbert Richard Schmidt............................................................................................ 7

5. BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................9APPENDIX1FIGURES ...................................................................................................................11

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Plat MapRentons Addition to the City of Seattle ....................................................... 11Figure 2. Sanborn Map (corrected) ................................................................................................ 12Figure 3. Seattle Times, February 1, 1960, p.33.............................................................................. 13


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Supplemental Report to Landmark Nomination Report for Victorian House OfficeBuilding, 1523 Madison Street

September, 2013

IntroductionThis supplemental report provides additional information on the Building History andOwners of 1523 E Madison Street. This report replaces the section Building History inthe Landmark Nomination report prepared in June of 2013, by Beth Dodrill. Thesupplemental report was prepared by Larry E. Johnson of the Johnson Partnership, withresearch assistance from Ellen Mirro of the Johnson Partnership and Beth Dodrill. Thereport was prepared at the request of the Owners of the property in response to a request ofthe Landmarks Board at the Landmark Nomination Hearing on August 21, 2013, for

additional information on the owners and history of the property.Information obtained on previous property ownership and use was obtained through archivalresearch at the King County Archives with the assistance of Greg Lange, the Puget SoundRegional Archives, University of Washington Libraries Special Collections Division, the Cityof Seattle Department of Planning and Development, and various online archives as noted inthe bibliography.

Chronological Property History - 1523 E Madison

Captain William Renton purchased 160 acres, on Seattles Second Hill from Thomas andSarah Russell on August 19, 1868, for $400.1 This represented the Northwest of Section

33, Township 25 North, Range 4 East, East Willamette Meridian. Renton subdivided thewestern 80 acres into 100 lots as Rentons Addition to the City of Seattle on Seattles FirstHill in 1889.2 C.T. Conover reported in 1938 and 1960, about the creation of thesubdivision by Crawford & Conover, including mention of the first purchaser, Abbie M.Smith, who purchased the property on June 24, 1889, for $1,400, including the RentonHome.3

Abbie M. Smith and her husband Joseph F. Smith occupied the property between 1892 andaround 1903, when they apparently lost the property due to foreclosure.4

On September 20, 1903, 1523 Madison Street was advertised for rent at $25 per month.

Mary L. Macdonald purchased 1523 E. Madison Street (Lot 6 of Block 4 in RentonsAddition) from the Eastman Company on October 1, 1906, for $12,500.5

On October 17, 1923, 1523 E. Madison was advertised for rent.1King County, Volume 2 of Deeds, p. 18.2The Seattle Daily Times, Nip and Tuck on First Hill in 89, Land Sales Made Fortunes for Many, March 13,1938, p.11.3King County, Rentons Addition to the City of Seattle, May 18, 1889.4R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1903, p. 1,066. Seattle Sunday Times, North of Denny Way,

June 20, 1903, p. 23.5King County, Property Deed Ledger, October 1, 1906.


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with a hotel, a livery stable, and a jail, all owned by Renton. Renton also owned a share ofthe Winslow and Hall shipyard at Port Blakely.13

Renton was a major investor at the Mox LaPush coal mine at the southern end of LakeWashington, which grew to become the city of Renton. Renton also backed a scheme tobuild a railroad around the southern end of Lake Washington, the Seattle & Walla WallaRailroad. Renton was an investor in the Washington National Bank of Seattle (a.k.a. theBoston Bank of Seattle).14

Renton also invested in Seattle real estate, purchasing acreage on Seattles Second Hill,which subdivided into 100 lots as Rentons Addition to the City of Seattle in 1889.15 In1889, Renton owned at least seven other smaller properties in Seattle, mostly residential lotswith improvements.16

Sarah Renton died at Port Blakely on May 12, 1890.17

William Renton died at his sistershome on July 18, 1891.18 At the time of his death, Rentons estate was valued atapproximately three million dollars, making him the wealthiest person in the Puget Soundregion.19

Abbie M. Smith (1844-1924)

Abbie M. Griffin was born near Ellsworth, Maine in June 1844, the daughter of William S.Griffin and Rachel S. (Torrey) Griffin.20 Abbie M. Griffin married Joseph F. Smith (1841-1916) on November 27, 1863.21 By 1870, Joseph and Abbie had two children, Charles W.(1865-1941) and Joseph M. (1869-1956), and were living in Bangor, Maine, with Josephworking as a barber.22

Abbie and Joseph F. Smith were living in Seattle in 1884, although Joseph was going by thename of Frank Smith and working as a barber.23 Their son Charles W. was working as amachinist for the Puget Sound Furniture Company.24 By 1887, the family lived on CherryStreet between 5th Avenue and 6thAvenue, and their son Joseph M. was also working as a

13Rochester, pp. 2-3.14Rochester, p. 2. Clarence B. Bagley, History of Seattle From the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Vol.II, (Chicago, IL: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1916), p. 480. 15King County, Rentons Addition to the City of Seattle, May 18, 1889.16King County Tax Roles, vol. 2 and 3, 1889, numerous properties.17Rochester, p. 3.18

Rochester, p. 3.

19Bainbridgehistory.org, Its About Time: A Chronological Timeline of Events on Bainbridge Island,http://bainbridgehistory.org/virtual_exhibit/vex13/CA5720C5-BA3F-4958-BF29-079765947043.htm,accessed September 12, 2013, n.p.20Bureau of the Census; Seventh Census of the United States, 1850, Ellsworth, Hancock, Maine; p.10.

Washington State, Death Records, DA ref. Number {48CE1F3A-504F-4AF9-B4E9-5F03734082BF}.21The Seattle Daily Times, Finds Marriage a Failure, March 20, 1912, p.15.22Bureau of the Census; Eighth Census of the United States, 1870, Bangor West-Side Kenduskeag Stream,Penobscot, Maine, June 13, 1870; p.44.23 Industrial World, The City Directory 1884-85 of Seattle Washington, p. 188.24Industrial World, The City Directory 1884-85 of Seattle Washington, p. 187.


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barber.25 In 1889, Frank and Joseph were working together as barbers at 903 Front Street,with the family living at 1515 Pike Street.26

On June 24, 1889, Abbie M. Smith purchased Lot 6 of Block 4 in Rentons Addition to theCity of Seattle, for the sum of $1,400.27 The land sale also included a house owned byWilliam and Sarah Renton.28

The Guaranteed Loan and Trust Company filed a $600 lien on Lot 6 of Block 4 in Rentonsaddition on August 15, 1889. The Littell & Smythe Manufacturing Company filed a lien onthe property on October 12, 1889. The Oregon Improvement Company filed a lien on theproperty on November 2, 1889.29

Abbie and Joseph lived at 2135 Madison Street by 1893Joseph by that time had droppedthe use of the name Frank, and was now working as an expressman. 30 Their son Joseph M.Smith, was still working as a barber and moved in with his parents by 1895.31 By 1899,Joseph was again working as a barber, and his son was working as a musician at the

Orpheum Theatre.32Abbie and Joseph Smith were no longer at 1523 E. Madison Street (readdressed from 2135Madison in 1900) in 1903, and the property was advertised as a rental as a seven roommodern house for $25.00 a month.33 Abbie and Joseph Smith sold Lot 26, of Block 12 ofRentons Addition to the City of Seattle to their son Joseph M. on September 27, 1905.34Abbie and Joseph had moved to 988 21stAvenue by 1906, with their son Joseph M., whowas then working as a music teacher.35

In 1910, Abbie and Joseph Smith were still living at 988 21stAvenue, with Joseph working asa house painter.36

Abbie sued Joseph or divorce in March 1912, citing drunkenness and cruelty.37 The

divorce was finalized in June 1912.38

Joseph F. Smith died on October 31, 1916, in Seattle, WA.39 Abbie M. Smith died in PortAngeles, WA on March 4, 1924.40

25Washington, Territory of, Census of the Inhabitants in Second Ward, in King County, July 26, 1887, p. 96.R.L. Polk and Company, Puget Sound Directory 1887, pp. 334 & 335.26R.L. Polk and Company, Puget Sound Directory 1889, pp. 404-406.27King County, Property Deed Ledger, June 24, 1889.28C.T. Conover, Just Cogitating: Captain Renton Had Stiff Agreement on Land Sale, Seattle Daily Times,February 1, 1960, p. 33.29King County, Property Deed Ledger, November 2, 1889.30

R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1893, p. 841.

31R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1895, p. 702.32R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1899, p. 902.33R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1903, p. 1,066. Seattle Sunday Times, North of Denny Way,

June 20, 1903, p. 23.34King County, Property Deed Ledger, September 27, 1905.35R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1906, p. 1,063.36Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce and Labor; Thirteenth Census of the United States 1910,City of Seattle, King County, Washington, April 15-16, 1910; sht. 1B37The Seattle Daily Times, Finds Marriage Failure, March 20, 1912, p. 15.38The Seattle Daily Times, Euphama P. Benson Obtains Divorce, June 7, 1912, p. 7.


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Mary L. Macdonald (1861-1935)

Mary Louise Fischer (Macdonald) was born on December 11, 1861, in Illinois. Marymarried James Reid Macdonald in 1883, in Highland Park, Illinois. James Macdonald(1856-1893) was born in Elgin, Scotland. 41

James became a partner of the wholesale grocery firm of Fischer & Macdonald, with Marysbother George W. Fischer.42 James and Mary had four children: Leroy Fischer (1861-1935),James Frederick (1887-1976), and twins Helen Mary (1891-1979, a.k.a. Mrs. Edwin R.Gutherie), and Dorothy (1891-1980).43 James died in San Francisco on November 1, 1893,at the height of the Financial Crisis of 1893.44

In 1895, Mary and her family lived at 924 Spring Street (now the Virginia Mason campus).45

In 1900, Mary was still living at 924 Spring Street. 46Mary L. Macdonald was sued in the Washington Supreme Court in 1902, by A.W. Frater,as the executrix of the James R. MacDonald estate, for non-payment of debt.47

Mary L. Macdonald purchased 1523 E. Madison Street (Lot 6 of Block 4 in RentonsAddition) from the Eastman Company on October 1, 1906, for $12,500.48

Mary lived at an apartment building located at 1302 Seneca Street in 1910, with herdaughter Dorothy.49

Mary traded various real estate properties, purchasing at least twenty properties within thecity of Seattle between 1891 and 1909.50

Mary L. Macdonald sold 1523 E Madison Street (Lot 6 of Block 4 in Rentons Addition tothe City of Seattle) to H.R. Schmidt on June 3, 1926, for $10.00.51

39Washington State, Death Records, Joseph Smith, DA ref. Number {C10567EE-F1FB-4099-8076-3F98F521C39E}.40Washington State, Death Records, Abbie M. Smith, DA ref. Number {48CE1F3A-504F-4AF9-B4E9-5F03734082BF}.41Family tree, James Reid Macdonald, ancestry.com, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7873294/person/-1023560442?ssrc=, accessed September 12, 2013.42Pacific Reporter, In re Macdonalds Estate. Macdonald v. Frater, Supreme Court of Washington. Aug. 26,1902. Volume 69, p. 1112.43Family tree, James Reid Macdonald, ancestry.com, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7873294/person/-1023560442?ssrc=, accessed September 12, 2013.44

Pacific Reporter, In re Macdonalds Estate. Macdonald v. Frater, Supreme Court of Washington. Aug. 26,1902. Volume 69, p. 1112.45R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1895, p. 514.46R.L. Polk and Company, Seattle City Directory 1900, p. 694.47Pacific Reporter, In re Macdonalds Estate. Macdonald v. Frater, Supreme Court of Washington. Aug. 26,1902. Volume 69, p. 1111.48King County, Property Deed Ledger, October 1, 1906.49Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce and Labor; Thirteenth Census of the United States 1910,City of Seattle, King County, Washington, July, 1910; sht. 5B.50King County, Property Deed Ledger, various dates.51King County, Property Deed Ledger, June 3, 1926.


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Mary L. Macdonald died on August 1, 1935, in Seattle.52 At the time of her death sheresided at 3914 Belvoir Place, in the Laurelhurst neighborhood.53

Herbert Richard Schmidt (1885-1968)

Herbert Richard Schmidt was born on August 17, 1885, in St. Paul, Minnesota.54 In 1905,Herbert R. Schmidt was working as a short cutter in St. Paul, Minnesota, living with hisparents, Elois and Julia Schmidt, both Austrian immigrants.55

Schmidt moved to Seattle around 1908.56 In 1910, Schmidt lived in Seattle, WA, living as alodger at 414 Spring Street, working as a cutter.57

Herbert R. Schmidt and Clara E. Michel (1890-1919) of St. Paul, Minnesota, were marriedaround 1912.58 The couple had a daughter on November 21, 1913, while living at 1202 EPine Street.59 On September 19, 1918, the couple lived at 3208-14 West Street, with

Schmidt working as a foreman for Dagg-Derneden, at 163 Jackson Street.60Clara died on May 17, 1919. At the time of her death she lived at 3203 14th Avenue W.61

Herbert R. Schmidt married Antonia Berger (1893-after 1968), a recent Austrian immigrant,on August 22, 1922, at the Immaculate Conception Church.62

Herbert Schmidt purchased 1523 E Madison Street (Lot 6 of Block 4 in Rentons Additionto the City of Seattle) from Mary L. Macdonald on June 3, 1926.63

In 1930, the couple lived at 1523 E. Madison Street, with four children: Bernice (ca. 1914-),Claire (ca. 1916-), Richard H. (March 23, 1923-2003), and Vivian (ca. 1925-).64 In 1940,Herbert and Antonia lived at 1523 E. Madison Street, Schmidt as owner the Custom ShirtShop, located at 704 Bigelow Building.65

52Washington State, Death Records, Mary Macdonald, DA ref. Number {E84099ED-B3FD-42E9-9542-74CC7ABD570F}.53The Seattle Daily Times, Macdonald, June 2, 1935, p. 19.54United States Selective Service System, world War I Draft Registration Card, Herbert Richard Schmidt,September 13, 1918.55State of Minnesota, Fifth Sexennial Census of Minnesota, St. Paul, June 20, 1905, sht. 30.56Seattle Daily Times, Herbert R. Schmidt, January 19, 1968, p. 20.57Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce and Labor; Thirteenth Census of the United States 1910,City of Seattle, King County, Washington, April 20, 1920; sht. 6A.58King County, Marriage Records, Marriage Certificate No. 79982 (83276), August 22, 1922.59

Seattle Daily Times, Births, November 28, 1913, p. 13.

60United States Selective Service System, world War I Draft Registration Card, Herbert Richard Schmidt,September 13, 1918.61Seattle Daily Times, Schmidt, May 18, 1968, p. 31. Washington State, Death Records, Clara Schmidt, DAref. Number {A6B16436-AD34-4EA3-8405-FF652F709371}.62King County, Marriage Records, Marriage Certificate No. 79982 (83276), August 22, 1922.63King County, Property Deed Ledger, June 3, 1926.64Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce and Labor; Fifteenth Census of the United States 1930,City of Seattle, King County, Washington, April 2, 1930; sht. 1A.65Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce and Labor; Sixteenth Census of the United States 1940,City of Seattle, King County, Washington, April 2, 1930; sht. 1A.


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Herbert R. Schmidt retired in 1962, and passed away in January 17, 1968, at 83. At thetime of his death he still lived at 1523 E Madison Street.66

After Schmidt died, the Custom Shirt Shop was owned or managed by Littler at 5th

&Union in Seattle.67 The shop moved to the arcade level of the Four Seasons Olympic Hotelin 1982.68

66Seattle Daily Times, Herbert R. Schmidt, January 19, 1968, p. 20.67Seattle Daily Times, A Littler Made-To-Order Shirt, September 27, 1972, p. 5.68Seattle Daily Times, More openings due at hotel, November 3, 1982, p. 27.


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Bibliography

Ancestry.com. Family tree, James Reid Macdonald.http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7873294/person/-1023560442?ssrc=, accessedSeptember 12, 2013.

Bainbridgehistory.org, Its About Time: A Chronological Timeline of Events on BainbridgeIsland, http://bainbridgehistory.org/virtual_exhibit/vex13/CA5720C5-BA3F-4958-BF29-079765947043.htm, accessed September 12, 2013.

Bagley, Clarence B. History of Seattle From the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Vol. II.Chicago, IL: The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1916.

Conover, C.T. Just Cogitating: Captain Renton Had Stiff Agreement on Land Sale, Seattle Daily Times, February 1, 1960, p. 33.Industrial World, The City Directory1884-85 of Seattle Washington.

King County.Marriage Records, Marriage Certificate No. 79982 (83276), August 22, 1922.Rentons Addition to the City of Seattle, May 18, 1889.Property Deed Ledger. June 24, 1889, November 2, 1889, September 27, 1905,October 1, 1906,June 3, 1926.

Volume 2 of Deeds, p. 18.Department of Assessments. Tax Roles, vol. 2 and 3, 1889, numerous properties.Sales History, Parcel 723460-0220, p. 2.

Minnesota, State of. Fifth Sexennial Census of Minnesota, St. Paul, June 20, 1905.

Pacific Reporter. In re Macdonalds Estate. Macdonald v. Frater, Supreme Court ofWashington. Aug. 26, 1902. Volume 69.

Puget Sound Regional Archives, Property Record Card, #723460-0220.

Polk, R.L. and Company. Puget Sound Directory 1887, 1889.Seattle City Directory 1893, 1895, 1899, 1900, 1903, 1906.

Rochester, Junius. Renton, Captain William (1818-1891). HistoryLink.org Essay 1053,May 2, 2000.http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=1053(accessed September 12, 2013.)

Seattle Times.North of Denny Way. June 20, 1903.Finds Marriage a Failure. March 20, 1912.


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Euphama P. Benson Obtains Divorce. June 7, 1912.Macdonald. June 2, 1935.Nip and Tuck on First Hill in 89, Land Sales Made Fortunes for Many. March 13,

1938.Herbert R. Schmidt. January 19, 1968.Schmidt. May 18, 1968A Littler Made-To-Order Shirt. September 27, 1972.More openings due at hotel. November 3, 1982.Births. November 28, 1913.

United States Selective Service System, world War I Draft Registration Card, HerbertRichard Schmidt. September 13, 1918.

United States Bureau of the Census. Department of Commerce and Labor.

Seventh Census of the United States, 1850, Ellsworth, Hancock, Maine. p.10.Eighth Census of the United States, 1870, Bangor West-Side Kenduskeag Stream,Penobscot, Maine. June 13, 1870

Thirteenth Census of the United States 1910, City of Seattle, King County,Washington, April 20, 1920; sht. 6A.Thirteenth Census of the United States 1910, City of Seattle, King County,Washington, April 15-16, 1910.Thirteenth Census of the United States 1910, City of Seattle, King County,Washington, July, 1910.

Fifteenth Census of the United States 1930, City of Seattle, King County,Washington, April 2, 1930. Sixteenth Census of the United States 1940, City of Seattle, King County,

Washington, April 2, 1930. Washington, Territory of. Census of the Inhabitants in Second Ward, in King County.

July 26, 1887. Washington State. Death Records.

Joseph Smith, DA ref. Number {C10567EE-F1FB-4099-8076-3F98F521C39E}.Abbie M. Smith, DA ref. Number {48CE1F3A-504F-4AF9-B4E9-5F03734082BF}.Mary Macdonald, DA ref. Number {E84099ED-B3FD-42E9-9542-74CC7ABD570F}.Clara Schmidt, DA ref. Number {A6B16436-AD34-4EA3-8405-FF652F709371}.

Prepared by:The Johnson Partnership1212 NE 65th St.Seattle WA, 98115206-523-1618


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Victorian House Ofce Building, 1523 Madison StreetSupplement to Landmark Nomination Report September 2013

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Figure 1. Plat Map

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Sanborn Map C

Figure 2. Sanborn Map, 1893

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Figure 3. The Seattle Times, February 1, 1960, p.33

The Seattle Time

VHOB 1523 Madison Supplemental Report

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